HEADS up - a large collection of taxidermy, which will go under the hammer in September, has been described as the best auctioneers Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester has seen for many years.

The jewel in the crown is the head of a tiger, shot in India in 1935 or 36 and prepared and mounted on a shield by the renowned big game taxidermists Van Ingen and Van Ingen of Mysore.

The lot is expected to attract bids of £1,000 to £1,500.

Elsewhere a moose head, which until recently hung in the famous Bibury Court Hotel - now a private residence - should attract bids of £500 to £800, as should an American bison head.

A water buffalo head from Southeast Asia, meanwhile, should command bids of between £300 and £500.

There are also skins: a pair of black bearskin rugs with claws, again by Van Ingen and Van Ingen of Mysore, should fetch £100 to £150 each, while four leopardskin rugs should each make £200 to £300.

There are also plenty of cased examples, ranging in size from a mole to large British mammals.

Among the various examples of ducks, geese, pheasants, partridges, owls and hawks is a Victorian case displaying two Himalayan monal pheasants and a pair of night herons in naturalistic setting, which should achieve £300 to £500.

In the extensive equestrian section, the frontrunner is a fine late Victorian saddle horse with bridle hooks and tack storage.

Designed for polishing saddles and cleaning tack, a cast iron plaque names the manufacturer as Musgrave & Co Ltd of Belfast, London and Paris, and includes a royal warrant.

The best of four saddle horses at the auction, it carries an estimate of £500 to £800.

In the picture section is a good smattering of Snaffles hunting prints including perennial favourites A Sight to Take Home and Dream About, The Finest View in Europe, and The Bullfinch.

Large landscapes range from £300 to £500 with smaller landscapes and portraits commanding estimates in the region of £200 to £300.

The exception is Gee-Gee, a Snaffles print featuring a dapper gentleman in bowler hat, cravat, hunting jacket, checked Jodhpurs and riding boots.

It’s a print never before seen by the auctioneers, and carries an estimate of £500 to £800.

Also on the walls are a couple of fine oil paintings by the Worcestershire artist Leesa Sandys-Lumsdaine (1936-1985).

October Morn features a mounted huntsman and hounds with trees in autumn colour in the background, while Artful Dodger depicts a sly fox sneaking around a horse and rider.

Each painting commands an estimate of £500 to £800.

The the fishing section, a two early Victorian brass collar winch reels – which attach to the rod with a metal collar – are expected to attract significant interest among collectors of angling antiquities.

A multiplier version is expected to net £200 to £300, while the non-multiplier model should land bids of between £150 and £200.

Also offered for sale are two circa 1920 Hardy Perfect salmon reels (estimate £150 to £200) and two circa 1920 Hardy Perfect trout reels (estimate £100 to £150), a Malloch side casting reel (estimate £100 to £150), and a four-and-a-half inch combination salmon reel from the late 1800s (estimate £100 to £150).

And the highlights of an extensive guns section include a modern Browning 12 bore over-and-under shotgun (estimate £500 to £800), a modern Perazzi 12 bore over-and-under shotgun (estimate £800 to £1,200), and an antique Holland & Holland 12 bore side-by-side shotgun which, with an estimate of £2,000 to £3,000 will be a contender for the accolade of highest lot price of the day.

The auction takes place on Friday, September 2.

For a full auction catalogue, log on to mooreallen.co.uk